Multiple web connector and single point release

ABSTRACT

IN A HOLLOW BODY A PAIR OF SPACED BLOCKS ARE SLIDEABLE AND IN THE OUTER END OF EACH BLOCK ARE A PAIR OF ROTATABLE ROLL PINS, EACH ROLL PIN BEING BIASED BY A TORSION SPRING TO TURN IN A DIRECTION WHEREBY A CUTAWAY PORTION OF THE PIN INTERLOCKS WITH A NOTCH IN A STEM OF THE FITTING FOR THE WEB, WHICH STEMS ARE INSERTABLE THROUGH HOLES IN THE HOLLOW BODY, A MANIPULABLE RELEASE DEVICE IS TURNED TO MOVE THE BLOCKS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER THEREBY TO PULL THE PINS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT FROM THE RESPECT STEMS OF THE FITTINGS AND THEREBY TO RELEASE ALL THE HARNESS WEBS FROM A SINGLE POINT, A DEVICE ON ONE OF THE BLOCKS OPERATES UPON A LIMITED MOVEMENT OF THE BLOCK TO RELEASE THE MASK HOSE FROM THE BODY, BEFORE THE WEB RELEASED AND MEANS BEING PROVIDED TO CONVEY OXGEN SUPPLY TO THE MASK HOSE.

1971 .J. A. GAYLORD 3,55

MULTIPLE WEB CONNECTOR AND SINGLE POINT RELEASE Filed July 7. 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. John A. Gaylord BY Attorney Jun. 19, 1971 J. A. "GAYLORD MULTIPLE WEB CONNECTOR AND SINGLE POINT RELEASE Filed July 7, 1969 JNVENTOR. John AI-"Goylord Attorney i, ii J. A. GAYLORD MULTIPLE WEB CONNECTOR AND SINGLE POINT RELEASE Filed July 7, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 8 John A INVENTOR.

. Gaylord United States Patent 015cc US. Cl. 28538 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a hollow body a pair of spaced blocks are slideable and in the outer end of each block are a pair of rotatable roll pins; each roll pin being biased by a torsion spring to turn in a direction whereby a cutaway portion of the pin interlocks with a notch in a stem of the fitting for the web; which stems are insertable through holes in the hollow body; a manipulable release device is turned to move the blocks toward one another thereby to pull the pins out of engagement from the respective stems of the fittings and thereby to release all the harness weibs from a single point; a device on one of the blocks operates upon a limited movement of the block to release the mask hose from the body, before the web release, and means being provided to convey oxygen supply to the mask hose.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While various releasable connections for webs of a parachute harnes are in existence, safety requires quick release of the harnes webs because unnecessary fumbling or delay in the release is dangerous. An object of the present invention is to provide a simple device which can be quickly manipulated at a single point to release simultaneously all the harness webs. Another object of the invention is to provide a quick release of the mask hose when required before releasing the harness webs. A further object is to positively lock the fittings of the harness webs in a single body and to positively lock the web releasing device against accidenal movement, yet permit quick and simple manipulation for simultaneous release of all the harness webs.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the multiple web connector and single point release.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device.

FIG. 4 is an end view indicating the release.

FIG. 5 is a fragmental sectional view of the device showing the oxygen connections, the section being taken substantially on lines 5-5 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 is a fragmental end view of the device viewing the oxygen connections.

FIG. 7 is a fragmental partly sectional view taken on lines 77 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION A hollow longitudinal body 1 has an elongated rectangular cavity 2 in which are slideable a pair of blocks 3. In the outer end of each block 3 are a pair of holes 4 in each of which is slidable and rotatable a roll pin 6. A limit pin 7 in each roll pin 6 is slideable in a transverse slot 8 so as to permit the rocking of the roll pin 6 yet to pull or push the roll pin 6 whenever the block 3 is moved. A torsion spring 9 in the bottom of each 3,556,565 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 hole 4 is anchored at one end in the bottom of the hole 4 and at its other end eccentrically in the adjacent end of the roll pin 6 so as to bias the roll pin 6 into an initial locking position.

In each end of the body 1, beyond the respective ends of the cavity 2, is a transverse hole 11 to receive the stems 12 of the fittings 13 for the respective webs. Longitudinal holes 14 extend through the respective ends of the body 2 in registry with the respective pinholes 4 so that the roll pins 6 in their locking position project into the respective longitudinal holes 14. Each of the fitting stems 12 has thereon a notch 16, shown in FIG. 4, which interlocks with a cutaway portion 17 of the respective roll pin 6. Each torsion spring 9- turns the roll pin 6 initially so that its cutaway portion 17 is in about the position shown in FIG. 4. The notch 16 of the stem 12 has its faces at such angle as to interlock with the inclined face of the cutaway portion 17. When inserting the stem 12 into the transverse hole 11, the end of the stem engages the inclined face of the cutaway portion of the roll pin and turns it against the action of the torsion spring 9 out of the way and when the notch 16 is in registry with the cutaway portion 17 the torsion spring 9 snaps the roll pin 6 into its initial locking position in the notch 16. The roll pins 6 are slideable longitudinally in the notches 16 so that 'when the blocks 3 are pulled toward one another away from the ends of the body 1, the roll pins 6 are withdrawn from the notches 16 and the web fitting stems 12 are released.

The blocks 3, in the present illustration, are moved by a disk 18 midway between the blocks 3 connected to each of the blocks 3 by an eccentric link 19, as shown in FIG. 3, so that when the disk 18 is turned in a contraclockwise direction, viewing FIG. 3, the blocks 3 are moved toward one another thereby to withdraw the roll pins 6 from the notches 16 and release the fitting stems 12. By turning the disk 18 in clockwise direction, viewing FIG. 3, the blocks 3 are returned to the initial looking position. A shaft 21 fixed to the disk 18 extends through the top 22 on the hollow body '1 and to the projecting end of the shaft 21 is suitably secured a manipulating handle 23, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, whereby the disk 18 can be manually turned in the respective directions. The handle 23 has a recess 24 in one side thereof in which fits the hub 26 of a latch 27 pivoted on a pivot pin 28. A hook 29 of the latch 27 is at such angle as to extend into a keeper recess 31 in the adjacent side of the body 2, as shown in FIG. 4, whereby the handle 23 is locked in the locking position of the roll pins 6 and accidental release of the fitting stems is prevented. In order to release the fitting stems 12, the latch 27 has to be lifted into the position shown in FIG. 4 and then the handle 23 can be turned for the releasing operation.

In the present illustration there is provided a fixed loop 32 for a web at one end of the body 1. In the other end of the body 1 is a longitudinal hole 33 in which fits a fitting stem 34 with a hook 36 at its end which hooks into a recess 37 in the inner end of the adjacent stem 12, so that when the said adjacent stem 12 is released and withdrawn from the transverse hole 11, then the end fitting stem 34 is also released.

On one end of the top 22 is provided an oxygen connection chamber 41 which has on one side 42 thereof a main oxygen supply part 43 connected to the oxygen supply in the airplane and an emergency supply part 44 connected to the emergency oxygen supply in a suitable manner not shown. In another side 46 of the chamber 41 is a releasable connecting coupling 47 to connect a mask hose 48 to an oxygen mask in the usual manner. An end of the coupling 47 extends into a hole 49 and it has a circumferential groove 51 into which extends a locking prong 52 on the end of a bell crank lever 53. The pivot 54 of the bell crank lever 53 is parallel with the axis of the coupling 47. The inner end 56 of the bell crank lever 53 bears against the bottom of a recess 57 in the top of the adjacent block 3 and is pressed against the bottom of said recess 57 by a coil spring 58. The recess 57 is on the portion of the block 3 nearer to the disk 18 so that when the disk 18 is turned so as to pull the block 3 inwardly, the cam end 59 of the recess 57 lifts the inner end 56 of the bell crank lever 53 and thereby withdraws the prong 52 from the groove 21, whereupon a coil spring 61 around the coupling 47 bearing against the side 46 ejects the coupling 47 and disconnects the mask hose. The cam end 59 is immediately adjacent to the inner end 56 of the bell crank lever 53 so that upon a slight movement of the block 3 the mask hose coupling 47 is released, before the release of the parachute harness webs.

In operation the latch 27 is lifted and the handle 23 is turned in a contra-clockwise direction viewing FIGS. 1 and 3 to pull the blocks 3 toward one another and at the initial pull the cam end 59 of the recess 57 operates the bell crank lever 53 and ejects the mask hose coupling 47 and on further turning of the disk 18 the roll pins 6 are pulled out of the holes 14 and out of the notches 16 of the fitting stems 12 thereby releasing all the webs simultaneously except the fixed web connection 32. Then the handle is turned into clockwise direction viewing FIGS. 1 and 2 to push the blocks 3 to the initial locking position shown in FIG. 3, and then the stems 12 of the respective web fittings are pushed in so as to turn the roll pins 6 out of the Way until the respective notches 16 register with the adjacent cutaway portions 17 for positively locking the stems 12 in position. The coupling 47 is pushed into the hole 49 and it pushes the prong 52 outwardly until the prong 52 registers with and is snapped into the groove 51 for locking the coupling 47 in place as heretofore described.

I claim:

1. In a multiple web connector,

a body having a cavity with opposite ends,

a pair of opposite elements slideable in said cavity toward and away from the opposite ends of said cavity,

roll pins in the outer end of each block adjacent the respective ends of said cavity, connected to the respective blocks for movement with the blocks, said body having holes in the ends thereof in registry with the respective pins, said pins projecting into said holes in an initial locking position of said elements,

transverse holes in said body intersecting said holes for said roll pins,

web fittings having stems thereon insertable into said transverse holes,

coacting members on said stems and on the respective roll pins to interlock and hold said stems in said transverse holes,

said pins being movable longitudinally out of engagement from said stems when such elements are pulled away from said opposite ends,

and manipulable means on said body to move said blocks toward one another thereby to withdraw said pins from said stems for simultaneous release of said web fittings.

2. The multiple web connector described in claim 1,

and

mask hose connector means carried on said body,

comprising,

a hollow casing connectable to an oxygen supply, a hose coupling outlet on said casing, resiliently yieldable means in said hose coupling 4 outlet to hold a mask hose coupling in said outlet,

and releasing means actuated by one of said blocks prior to the disengagement of the respective roll pins from said fitting stems.

3. The multiple web connector described in claim 1, and

said coacting members on said stems and on the respective roll pins comprising,

a slanting face on each roll pin normally in registry with and facing toward the adjacent transverse hole,

a notch with a substantially matching abutment face adapted to straddle the roll pin at said slandting face,

a resiliently yieldable member yieldably to urge said roll pin in position with said slanting face facing the adjacent transverse hole whereby said roll pin is turned by said fitting stem to move said slanting face out of the way until said notch is in registry with said slanting face, said resiliently yieldable member turning said roll pin into said notch.

4. The multiple web connector described in claim and a resiliently yieldable member for turning the roll pin into interlocking relation with the respective stem,

and a connecting element between each roll pin and the adjacent block whereby said roll pin moves with said block toward and away from the adjacent end of said cavity, said connecting element having sufficient play to permit limited rocking movement of the roll pin.

5. The multiple web connector described in claim 4, and

said coacting members on said stems and on the respective roll pins comprising,

a slanting face on each roll pin normally in registry with and facing toward the adjacent transverse hole,

a notch with a substantially matching abutment face adapted to straddle the roll pin at said slanting face,

a resiliently yieldable member yieldably to urge said roll pin in position with said slanting face facing the adjacent transverse hole whereby said roll pin is turned by said fitting stem to move said slanting face out of the way until said notch is in registry with said slanting face, said resiliently yieldable member turning said roll pin into said notch.

6. The multiple web connector described in claim 1, and

said manipulable means for moving said blocks including a rotating element in said cavity, connected to said blocks so that rotation of said rotating element in one direction pulls the blocks toward one another and away from the respective ends, and rotation in the opposite direction returns said blocks to the respective ends of said cavity,

and a handle on said body connected to said rotating element for rocking the same in opposite directions.

7. The multiple web connector described in claim 6, and

a pivoted locking flap on said handle having a hook on its free end, said body having a notch in its side adjacent said hook for engagement by said hook when said fiap is turned to said body thereby to prevent accidental movement of said handle.

8. The multiple web connector described in claim 2, and

said hose coupling having a recess in its periphery, and said resiliently yieldable means including a finger yieldably urged into said recess,

a releasing arm connected to said finger for moving said finger out of said recess, and

said releasing means including a cam rise on the adjacent block adjacent said arm to actuate said arm at the beginning of the movement of said adjacent block away from the adjacent end of the cavity.

9. The multiple web connector described in claim 2, and resilient ejecting means for said hose coupling outlet urging said hose coupling out of said outlet whereby said hose coupling is ejected from said outlet Whenever said resiliently yieldable means releases said hose coupling.

10. The multiple web connector described in claim 8,

and

a resilient means urging said hose coupling out of said outlet whereby said hose coupling is ejected whenever said finger is withdrawn from said recess by the movement of said cam rise.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THOMAS P. CALLAGHAN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

